As well known in the art, a number of hinge structures are applied to move a pivoting member vertically or laterally in respect to a fixed member about one rotation shaft. More specifically describing an operation of an article to which the hinge structure is applied by way of illustration, this operation may include certain operations such as opening/closing of an article cover, opening/closing of an upper portion of a notebook computer and vertical adjustment of a visual display device. In particular, the invention relates to a hinge structure which can be more suitably applied to a flat visual display device.
The above-mentioned flat visual display device may include various types of visual display devices such as an LCD monitor, a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) and Field Emission Display (FED).
In the meantime, examples of conventional hinge structures include those as proposed in Korean Laid-Open Utility Model Registration No. 20200110000941 and Korean Laid-Open Utility Model Registration No. 20200110000942. In particular, Korean Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1020000028262 discloses an example of hinge structure proposed for application to a visual display unit of an LCD.
However, the hinge structure as set forth above is so configured that the rotation shaft is fastened in its both ends with washers and nuts so as to support the both ends of the rotation shaft with independent forces. This causes different frictional forces to be applied to both sides of the rotation shaft thereby failing to apply the frictional force to the both sides as a balanced braking force so that pivotal members are not applied with laterally balanced force. Then, a user may not easily move the pivotal member as a drawback.
Further, in order to adjust external force applied in adjusting the vertical position of the flat visual display device, the user inconveniently adjust the external force in the both sides of the rotation shaft via complicated processes.
Further, in order to support the both sides of the rotation shaft, a number of washers or nuts are used thereby sophisticating a manufacturing process.
Moreover, when the rotation shaft is fastened to a supporting portion, the rotation shaft is fastened to only one point of the fixed plated for supporting the weight of the flat visual display device. This causes a problem that rolling takes place so that the flat visual display device moves laterally in respect to the supporting portion.
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems and it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a hinge structure for a flat visual display device in which frictional force applied to the hinge structure according to the weight of the flat visual display device can be readily adjusted.
It is another object of the invention to provide a hinge structure for a flat visual display device in which frictional force is concentrated into one region rather than both sides of a rotation shaft to apply the same force to the latter so that a user can readily adjust the position of the flat visual display device.
It is further another object of the invention to provide a hinge structure for a flat visual display device in which both ends of a rotation shaft are respectively supported to rotation shaft guides so as to prevent rolling of the flat visual display device.